Group psychology, Innovation and intercultural perspectives

Summary What characterizes ‘Swedish’ culture? Why are Swedish companies internationally held as highly innovative? This course focuses on group dynamics and how you can apply this knowledge in your future work life, where groups often need to solve complex problems. We will use an intercultural perspective, illuminating similarities and differences among cultures as well as underlying rationales for cultural practices. The course is highly participative with its many exercises and discussion focused seminars. About the course This course aims to give you a broad understanding of group dynamics and how you can apply this knowledge in your future work life. Today’s work life often presents complex challenges, where groups are expected to show high-level problem-solving skills. An intercultural perspective is applied, illuminating similarities and differences among cultures as well as underlying rationales for cultural practices: What characterizes ‘Swedish’ culture? Why are Swedish companies internationally held as highly innovative? The course starts with the basics of group dynamics where we will deal with questions such as: Are there stages in a group’s development?<br> How do groups affect our behaviors and thoughts?<br> Who joins groups and why do people join groups in the first place?<br> After the basics we will move to how you can apply this knowledge in the work life: How are high performing groups best led?<br> How may groups’ productivity and performance be increased?<br> What are the processes that make a group creative and innovative?<br> After graduation Knowledge about how groups function is paramount in today’s work life where groups often tackle complex problems. The course aims to give you useful tools to enhance productivity, problem solving and creative thinking in the groups you will find yourself in the work life. The course is given in English.